Monday, 1 October 2012

Mayan Body Modifications

Body modifications played a big part in the Mayan culture featuring tattoos, body painting, teeth filing and incrustation, deformation and piercings.

Body piercing for the Mayan's was seen to be a way to atone for your sins by drawing blood. When a king pierced his penis the mayans believed that his blood nourished the land and the people.

Mayan tattoos were considered a symbol of personal bravery due to the painful process. A pattern was painted on to the skin and then the skin was cut which would produce the tattoo. Body painting was a more common practice with warriors painting intimidating shapes onto their faces. Women also painted their bodies but in this case it was to enhance their beauty rather than to become ferocious looking.

Another practice that was common was a process called trepanning. This was where a baby's head is deformed into a flat desired shape